The article hits on every rumor that’s been out there for some time. The NFL is miffed that former president John Skipper didn’t treat the league as the powerhouse it sees itself as. NFL leadership wondered why Skipper seemed to be more engaged with NBA commissioner Adam Silver than Roger Goodell or Brian Rolapp, executive vice president of media. The NFL threw its weight around to pull “Playmakers” off the air in 2003, and even got ESPN to pull its support from a Frontline special on PBS, but hasn’t been able to completely control the worldwide leader’s NFL coverage. ESPN has had critical coverage according to the NFL that ranges from Outside the Lines special investigations to long-form pieces by Don Van Natta and Seth Wickersham.

In response, many in Bristol feel like the NFL has punished ESPN by giving them bad Monday Night Football schedules over the past few seasons. ESPN thought it was buying a marquee product for $1.9 billion per season but instead has seen Thursday Night games grow in promotion and importance in the NFL offices. The NFL has forced ESPN to simulcast playoff games and later draft coverage on ABC. Then the NFL gave draft simulcast rights to Fox this year. The rumor that the NFL will pull ESPN’s only playoff game in favor of giving it to Fox is still out there.

There are other smaller issues that contributed to this odd frosty relationship. ESPN has taken out clauses in its carrier agreement that they have to have NFL content. Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, was part of a failed bid to bring the Raiders and Chargers to Los Angeles. ESPN stopped having its big Super Bowl party in favor of spending more money at the College Football Playoff final. It’s big things, and little things, but in the end, it benefits neither the NFL or ESPN.

ESPN is in the tougher position here. The company tries to straddle the line between being a sports news company and a sports entertainment company. The NFL and its content is part of the entertainment. Sometimes there are news stories that have to be covered that paint the NFL and its teams in a bad light. ESPN has to cover those even if the NFL would prefer they swept those stories under the rug. The NFL wants its partner to be more supportive, but when it isn’t, the league punishes ESPN by helping the worldwide leader’s competitors or giving ESPN a bad Monday Night Football schedule.

There’s too much smoke for there to be no fire when it comes to this situation and the feud doesn’t do anyone any favors. An eye for an eye leaves us all blind. That’s the worst-case scenario that could come out of an NFL/ESPN feud.

The NFL is still the top sports league in the United States. It still garners the highest ratings, the most clicks on the internet, and the most engagement on social media. It is a behemoth. The league is in a position of power and leadership knows this.

But, ESPN isn’t a company that simply has to take what it is given. It is still the most powerful sports media company in the country. It still is the No. 1 sports channel in the United States. It still has some of the most recognizable talent in the sports media world, gets the best ratings compared to FS1 and NBC Sports Network, and still has some form of control.

That means that ESPN has some power over controlling the narrative. They can frame things as they wish. If the NFL continues to try and punish ESPN, then ESPN can focus more of its investigating powers on less favorable NFL coverage.

That’s why this rumored feud needs to end sooner than later. The NFL punishes ESPN with a bad Monday Night Football schedule, and ESPN responds with less than favorable coverage on an NFL owner or concussion protocol. Then the NFL punishes ESPN again by pulling NFL Draft exclusivity and giving a simulcast to Fox. This leads to more anger in Bristol. It’s a bad cycle for both partners to be in, and it needs to change now.

The change in leadership at ESPN allows it and the NFL to reset the relationship. Both companies need to realize this unspoken war needs to end for the benefit of both the league and the sports cable giant.

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